Feminists from different parts of the globe will gather in Nairobi, Kenya from January 17 to 19, 2007 for the 3rd Feminist Dialogues (FD).

This year’s theme, “Transforming Democracy: Feminist Visions and Strategies,” intends to deepen the intensive discussions on feminist perspectives and strategies in addressing fundamentalisms, militarism, and neo-liberal globalisation. The meeting will serve as a venue in creating a vital space for around 250 critical-minded feminist activists to re-examine, re-imagine, and move forward the vital political project of feminist movement building and new forms of democratic processes.

First day discussions will revolve around “Transforming Democracies,” which aims to outline new democratic perspectives put forward by social and feminist movements. Day two will focus on “Democracy, Rights, and Citizenship,” which intends to identify threats or challenges from state and non-state actors and the strategies used by feminists in addressing these threats or challenges. Exploring the links with the World Social Forum and the future possibilities of Feminist Dialogues will be tackled on the last day.

In January 2003, the first FD was held in Mumbai, India as a follow-up to the Women’s Strategy Meeting held in Porto Alegre in 2002. It highlighted issues like women’s human rights, sexual and reproductive rights, and sexuality. After the first FD, many groups showed keen interest in continuing with this process. Hence, in a three-day evaluation of the FD in Bangkok, Thailand in May 2004, the Coordinating Group critiqued and reflected upon the event, agreed to improve on its methodology and political impact, and made a general re-commitment to the Feminist Dialogue process up to 2007.

This year’s Feminist Dialogues will be held at the Meridian Court Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya. For more information, visit the website <http://feministdialogues.isiswomen.org> .